Eliashib Ministries International

Doing the Will of God

1 John 5:2-3
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

We urgently need a new kind of reformation throughout our Christian churches—a reformation that will cause us not only to accept the will of God but to actively seek it and adore it!...

The reformation we need now can best be described in terms of spiritual perfection-which reduced to its simplest form is no more and no less than doing the will of God! This would expose us all at the point of our need, no matter how sound we think we are in doctrine and no matter how great our reputations.

I long for the positive and genuine renewal which would come if the will of God could be totally accomplished in our lives. Everything that is unspiritual would flee, and all that is not Christlike would vanish, and all that is not according to the New Testament would be rejected....

Do we voluntarily and actively observe God's commandments, making positive changes in our lives as God may indicate in order to bring the entire life into accord with the New Testament?

That is the active aspect of the will of God that I would own as reformation in the church, and it would surely result in revival.

"Oh Lord, 'I long for the positive and genuine renewal which would come if the will of God could be totally accomplished in our lives.' Let it begin in me...today. Amen."

GOD'S GREAT COMMANDS

1 John 3:23-24
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God's commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: we know it by the Spirit he gave us.

Everybody, with a conscience towards God, wants to know what they must do to please Him. That desire is embedded into every heart, however much it is suppressed. John had heard Jesus answer the question, "'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'" (John 6:28-29). There are many specific commands which enable believers to keep in step with God’s will, and the Holy Spirit has been given to believers to explain what is written in the Bible (John 14:26) – but those who do not first believe in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for their sins, will not even desire to obey them.

John affirms that is still true, because the only way to please God is to trust in Jesus: He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). Although false teachers were denying it (as they still do today), Jesus said it with the full authority of God. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God, receives God's Spirit (Romans 8:9). God lives in them – assuring them that they genuinely belong to God (Romans 8:16).

The Spirit not only makes us confident that we belong to Father God, but He also gives us a desire to love the people with whom we worship - our spiritual brothers and sisters (1 John 3:14). All who believe in Jesus enter God's family: they automatically acquire spiritual siblings. Learning to live in this new family takes time, discipline and all the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) until sibling love becomes a reality.

We, who believe in Jesus, are not alone because the Holy Spirit is in us. He who gave us new life in Christ is also giving us the desire and ability to put sibling rivalry away and live in love. The inner longing to give ourselves in service to other believers is powerful evidence that we are in God's family. We are commanded to do so, but also empowered to do it. Allow the Spirit to help you serve and strengthen your Christian brothers and sisters. Do it wherever you find them, starting where you live and work. Your love for them will be a strong witness to unbelievers that Jesus is the King of love (John 13:35), and will encourage them to seek Jesus too.

God, from whom all love flows. Thank You for loving me and enabling me to believe in Jesus and receive Your Spirit. Forgive me for the times when I have not trusted Jesus or loved my brothers and sisters as I should. Please help me to understand the importance of serving You, by serving Your family, where I live and work. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

*Importance Of Love In The Bible*

When we jump into the Scriptures, it’s clear that love isn’t just a fleeting emotion or a happy accident. The Bible positions love as the cornerstone of our faith, surpassing even faith itself in importance. It’s a bold statement that challenges our understanding and practice of faith.

From the teachings of Paul to the commandments of Jesus, love is emphasized as the greatest virtue, one that powers and gives meaning to all other aspects of our spiritual walk. It’s not just about feeling love; it’s about choosing to love, demonstrating that love is both a command and a choice. This perspective transforms how we interact with the world and with each other, making love the true mark of a believer.

*Key Takeaways*

Love is foundational to Christian faith, surpassing even faith itself in importance, according to the Bible.

Love in the Bible is an active, intentional choice that transforms how we interact with others and reflect the character of faith.

Jesus commands us to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves, making love a central directive of Christian life.

Real-life examples of love in the Bible, including God’s unconditional love and Jesus’ acts of selflessness, serve as models for how we should love.

The benefits of living a life of love as prescribed by the Bible include salvation, unity, forgiveness, and peace in our relationships.

Embracing love as a command and a way of life leads to a profound impact on both spiritual growth and everyday interactions

*FALSE IDEAS OF LOVE*

*Romans 13:10*
*(MSG)* _You can't go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love._
*(NKJV)* _Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law._

When we accept these love myths as fact, and these pursuits as what we should undertake, we will be heading down dangerous paths in the maze, where we will only find loneliness and hurt. Such myths will block the path of quality relationships that last, especially when it comes to love and dating. They will lead you so far off the godly path that you find yourself falling off the cliffs of life and into the realm of despair and discontent. Your relationships will fall far short from what you could have had. When we have these ideas about love, from troubled sources, as a template on how we evaluate others or select a mate, we will be in as much trouble as the singers and actors who have made these statements.
These false ideas of love will also cause a fairytale mindset rather than a Biblical one, or reality-based thinking. We will think we are in love when we are actually filled with the wrong idea of love, coupled with lust, and desire. Therefore, we believe these statements are possible, feasible, and real. Actually, they will cause us to make grave mistakes, and mislead not only us, but, also, all those around us!
Still not sure? Just watch the biographies of singers, actors, and other famous people on the cable TV biography shows, or read People magazine! Many of those who have proclaimed such statements have not found it to be working out, and most have led very disappointing, and meaningless lives. With all of their wealth and fame, they have more divorces, dysfunctional relationships, and hurt than most of us regular folks. Because they jumped from one marriage to another, one relationship to another, they have never found the contentment or happiness they thought they could have from their philosophy. Rather, they have found turmoil, discontent, and hopelessness, instead. (This is from their statements-not mine!)
Wrong ideas of friendship, dating, and love will have grave consequences that can last for generations, as it affects us, the other person, and, in marriage, any children, both families, the extended families, friends, the church, and, of course, our Lord! Your choice is not just your choice, because, it does not just affect you. Therefore, be careful that you always strive to conduct yourself in the parameters of real, authentic love. In dating, choose wisely; in marriage and friendships, operate in those Godly characters, and be based on Scripture rather than on false ideas and lust!
Yes, our God is a great God of grace, and forgiveness. He will eventually work things out in your life for good (Romans 8)! But, why place yourself in strife, when you can have it so much better when you start early?
Your objective is not just to seek fulfillment or desire, but, to build relationships that last, that are impacting and real. In dating, your commission is to choose a mate with whom you can live, both with unbroken devotion to the Lord. In marriage, our task is to help facilitate His Fullness in both our life, and that of our spouse. From friendships and family to the office, our role is to be seeking Him, growing in Him, trusting in Him, and obeying Him, so our maturity and character are rooted in Him. In this way, fullness, character, and real love are working in His Kingdom, taking us on the way to good, healthy relationships, filled with love, and able to grow. This fullness will be the catalyst to enable us to go through the hard times as well as the fun times. This brings the, that will make your house reflect God, serve for His glory, and be an example to those around you (Joshua 24:14 -15).
"What about attractiveness?" Well, if you are courting, following the Biblical principles, and are not attracted to each other that is a sure sign that something is wrong. This idea of who we consider attractive also affects who we choose as friends, and how we relate to our co-workers. How we perceive people is significant, and if we base it on shallow things, we end up having shallow relationships!
1 Corinthians 7:32-35, gives us a picture of the magnitude and value of relationships, with love in action, both in marriage and in preparing for marriage. We need to see life as an adventure, with no time to waste (Romans 13:11-12). The central focus, paying close attention to verse 35, is not being distracted from things that are false and misleading to us; rather, we are to focus on Christ, and allow Him to provide us the motivation for godly living. His precepts must reign in us so our attention is on the right track. If not, those myths and cares of the world-including the myths of love-will overtake us, and bring us down into the world of bad decisions, that lead to bad relationships, that produce bad living.

*SCRIPTURE REFERENCES*
Joshua 24:14 -15; Romans 8; Romans 13:11-12; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

*THE CHARACTER OF LOVE*

*1 Thessalonians 4:9-10*
(NKJV) _But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;_

Most people assume that love is the most important thing in a marriage, or the most important reason to get married! You will frequently hear people in TV, in the movies, out on the streets of life and even in the church saying, I do not need to work on love and relationships, it will just happen. And, if not, it was not meant to be, and I can get out of it if it does not work out. How sad that philosophy is! But, when you carefully examine love from the Bible, you will find that it is a choice over and against any feeling or aspiration of what we may want it to be or mean.
Love is a choice that also happens in a seemingly magical and metaphysical way, as poets have tried to explain it throughout the millennia. But, is that it? The Bible tells us that love is more than a feeling; it has segments and characters to it. Love is also a choice, a decision that must be perused and worked on. In our human mind, we may see it as magical, as if it "just happened," but, without pursuing its true meaning and character, it will dispel and waste away. So, when we do receive that spark of love that we cannot explain, to keep that magic, that romance, that spark going requires us to do something about it. If we do not work on it, the spark that was once there will vanish as quickly and as suddenly as it came. It will fade into the night, leaving us in the darkness of the maze of relationships, lost and confused. The way we keep that flame from blowing out is our understanding and modeling the character of love. So, as it becomes contagious and spreads, it flames and excites burns and grows, so the winds of the ups and downs of a relationship will not blow it out!
We do not necessarily fall in love as the love songs and movies proclaim, because, you may well fall out of it, faster than you fell in it! If you never choose to make it a commitment, with love, you will never have it, or, if you do, you will not keep it! Love is a verb; it requires action that is implied for being a verb, action to do something with it. What are you doing with it? Are the precepts of 1 Corinthians 13 being put into action with your friends, family, acquaintances, and your spouse? If not, what is in the way of that verb action?
If you ask most couples who are thinking about marriage, or who are already engaged, why they are getting married, they usually will say: "Why, we're in love." It has been through studying the Word, plus, over twenty years of pastoral counseling experience, that has prompted me to question the validity of this motive. Yes, love is essential and powerful! However, if that is all you have, you will end up with nothing! The number one mistake people make when they date is to look just for love. The number one mistake married couples make is thinking that their love is all they need. This puts their brains "on hold" from everything else. Yes, love is putting the precepts of 1 Corinthians 13 into action, but most people, including Christians, do not even know what real love is! Choosing a life partner should never be based on love alone. A marriage cannot last on love alone. This may sound like crazy talk, but think it through. Have you ever seen a relationship work with just love? No, not for movie or TV stars who have everything going for them, not for the singers who sing about it, and not even for the Beatles! Because, they do not know what love is, nor do they really put it into practice.
Most, if not all, people who get married do it for love, yet, according to most statistical evidence, fifty percent will divorce in less than five years. So, what happened to the love? If love is all we need, should not it have worked? Why did it not work? Because, there never was real love, they misunderstood what love is, or, they had nothing but love. Perhaps they let that spark of love flame out in neglect, so that there was a huge vacuum in their relationship! Love should not be the horse in front of the cart. Love alone cannot influence a relationship. Love needs to be a result, not a cause, for getting married. Love is the result of a good marriage, not the fuel to make it. Love is an attitude that is followed by action; when this does not happen, love will sit and go nowhere.

*SCRIPTURE REFERENCES*
1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10; 5:8-13;

*LOVE*

*1 Corinthians 13:1-7*
1 I may speak in the languages of humans and of angels. But if I don't have love, I am a loud gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 I may have the gift to speak what God has revealed, and I may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains. But if I don't have love, I am nothing. 3 I may even give away all that I have and give up my body to be burned. But if I don't have love, none of these things will help me. 4 Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn't jealous. It doesn't sing its own praises. It isn't arrogant. 5 It isn't rude. It doesn't think about itself. It isn't irritable. It doesn't keep track of wrongs. 6 It isn't happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. 7 Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.

Love is a spiritual fruit that is built from real, godly character and commitment. It is the fiber of our moral center that stretches throughout our being, embracing and holding together our relationships when it is sealed as a choice and commitment, and not just a feeling.
A fruit is made up of more than one substance; it has juice, pulp, segments, and seeds, all held together by a skin or rind, and attached to the tree by a stem where its nutrients flow in. If you take the fruit off the vine, it will wither and rot; if the vine is not cared for, the tree will die. So it is with love. It requires our tending, and it is more than just one substance; all of its substances combined are greater than the sum of its parts.
Love is taking the initiative to build up and meet the needs of others, without expecting anything in return

*Nine Ingredients of Divine Love*:

1. *Patience* -- love passive: no hurry; suffers long; bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things (1Cor. 13:4,7)

2. *Kindness* -- love in action: never acts rashly or insolently; not inconsistent, puffed up, or proud (1Cor. 13:4)

3. *Generosity* -- love in competition: not envious or jealous (1Cor. 13:4)

4. *Humility* -- love in hiding: no parade; no airs; works then retires (1Cor. 13:4)

5. *Courtesy* -- love in society: does not behave unseemly; always polite; at home with all classes; never rude or discourteous (1Cor. 13:5)

6. *Unselfishness* -- love in essence: never selfish, sour, or bitter; seeks only good of others; does not retaliate or seek revenge (1Cor. 13:5)

7. *Good temper* -- love in disposition: never irritated; never resentful (1Cor. 13:5)

8. *Righteousness* -- love in conduct: hates sin; never glad when others go wrong; always gladdened by goodness to others; always slow to expose; always eager to believe the best; always hopeful, always enduring (1Cor. 13:6-7)

9. *Sincerity* -- love in profession: never boastful and conceited; not a hypocrite; always honest; leaves no impression but what is strictly true; never self-assertive; does not blaze out in passionate anger, nor brood over wrongs; always just, joyful, and truthful; knows how to be silent; full of trust; always present

*SCRIPTURE REFERENCES*
*John 13:1; 15:13; 1 Corinthians 13:3; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John

*PRAYER FOR THE EQUINOX*

*The autumnal equinox will occur on 22 September 2024 @ 5:43 UTC.*

This day when the sun crosses the equator brings the phenomenon of equal nights; with 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness along the equator. Command the sun to praise the LORD to praise the LORD and respond only to His bidding and do their role of legislating the times and seasons _Psa 104.19-20, 148:1-6_

• Many occultists will converge at the equator locations to carry out enchantments and speak into the lay lines to carry out their bidding across the earth.
Command the lay lines of the earth including the equator, the prime meridian, the international date line, the tropics of cancer and Capricorn to do only the bidding of the LORD and reject every other voice. The earth is the LORD’s and must respond only to His commands _Isaiah 38.8_

• There is a worldwide variety of fall equinox celebrations, which demonstrate the diversity of religious beliefs including remembering the dead from this season. There are those merchants of the earth that are hunting for souls all over the world to harvest into the kingdom of darkness ( _Rev 18.13_ ).
Pray that the LORD will be the Deliverer of such souls from the hands of the soul hunters and the fowler. He will send his angels who are hunters and fishers to address all these appropriately. _Psa 91, Prov 6:5, Jer 16:16_

TWO SETS OF CHILDREN

1 John 3:9-10
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

It is said that you can tell the character of the parents by watching etheir children. Whether or not that is always true, the children of God have been born-again into His family, and He wants them to acquire His nature. However, our sinful nature still exerts its influence. John started his letter by writing, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8). The godly response is to loath our sin, confess and repent of it and receive God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). The ungodly response is to continue in sin without repentance: that is a characteristic of people who do not have God’s nature.

Although it sounds sinister, the devil has children too. They believe his lies and carry out his purpose of defying God: they deny the divinity and work of Christ. They do not care that sin is highly offensive to their heavenly Father. They live lives that are not right according to God's Word, they persist in sin and they teach the 'normality' of sinfulness to others (Romans 1:32).

The problem is not just embedded in the world and sinful fleshliness; it is also embedded in Christless religion. Jesus spoke about the religious leaders, who refused to accept His authority, like this: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are." (Matthew 23:15). They too are children of the devil: therefore the children of God should not accept their spiritual authority.

The Apostle Paul said the same, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron." (1 Timothy 4:1-2) . Although persecution is a terrible burden to bear, a greater danger to the church comes from false teachers. Beware. Do not be naïve, test every spiritual influence (1 John 4:1) and love the children of God – and do not be lured away from your devotion to Christ by the children of the devil.

EVIL DIVERSIONS

1 John 3:7-8
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

False teachers lead people astray: but where do the errors come from in the first place? Certainly there are plenty of power seekers, manipulators and egotists who want to make a name for themselves and attract a following. They will offer a new way, with the lure of a better life which matches what our sinful nature longs for (James 1:14-15). Their motive may appear to be fleshly or worldly, but they probably do not know that they are serving an evil master and contradicting the Word of God.

Satan's way of life is to defy God, rebel against His love and break His laws. The devil’s motive, to take the place of God and crush all who love Him, is undiminished since the beginning of time. He usually does his evil work through people who believe his lies (John 8:44). So, to accept the false teachers, and believe what they say, is to collaborate with God's enemy.

Because Christ came to destroy Satan's work, it should be unthinkable for Christians to live an unrighteous life, or encourage others to do so. One day, God's demolition of evil will be complete. On that day, Satan and his agents will have no more liberty to lead people into rebellion. But until then Christians have the responsibility to work with Christ and not against Him (2 Corinthians 6:1-2). Righteous living validates the gospel and demonstrates that the believers are following Christ: it is both worship and witness.

The desire and ability to live righteously comes from the Righteous One. Hebrews 10:35-39 puts it like this, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’ And, ‘But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” So, do not give up, shrink back, or in any way stop following Jesus. Do not be diverted by the lies of Satan or his agents. Do not allow false teachers to have any place in the church; and do not stop practising righteousness, for Christ’s sake.

Righteous God. Thank You for always being in control and never being caught out by Satan. Forgive me for the times I have allowed myself to be led astray, and bring me back to trust in Your loving purposes for my life. Please help me to identify false teachers and protect me and those I love from accepting or believing their deceits. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it!” (Jonah 1:2)

The book of Jonah tells us about God’s concern for the universal salvation of men. This book reminds us that God loves all men, and desires their salvation. Jonah belongs to the people who have received God’s revelation, and God wants to use him to bring a message to the people of Nineveh, who for their part have no knowledge of God. It is specified: “They do not know their right hand from their left” (Jonah 4:11).

God is looking for a messenger to go warn this numerous people, and he chooses Jonah. But there is a small problem: Jonah does not want to go! He refuses to respond to this divine call, he runs away!

At this point, Jonah reminds us of all those who, being believers, refuse to be interested in the salvation of those who, sunk in the darkness of sin, perish in ignorance of God’s love. Running away can take various forms, from total disinterest to the most absolute contempt. Now, because we are disciples of Christ, the salvation of those who perish is our responsibility. Running away from our responsibility means missing out on God’s plans. The Lord calls the Church to rise up to go to the lost. Let us not run away, let us enter into God’s mission!

Jonah runs away, but God will bring him back to take the road to Nineveh.

Sometimes it can take a little time, but God is patient so that we finally take the path of our vocation. He will create the necessary circumstances to bring us to become aware of the call he has addressed to us: “Go into all the world”.

Jonah is going to have a success that many servants would love to have! “The men of Nineveh believed God”! (Jonah 3:5).

Over a hundred and twenty thousand men repent in one preaching! No preacher has ever had such success! But Jonah is disappointed!

He prophesied destruction, and now the repentance of these people is keeping divine judgment at bay. God’s heart was not to destroy, but to save. Jonah needed to understand the immense grace of God.

“Lord, let grace inspire our witness, our service! May the love you have for all men move them to repentance! In Jesus’ name, amen!”

Living the Unity of the Spirit

Ephesians 4:1-3
“I urge you … to walk … in a manner worthy … endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Psalm 133 speaks to us of the benefits of the unity of believers. In this Psalm, David uses two images: the holy oil and the dew of Hermon.

The holy oil symbolizes the beneficial action of the Holy Spirit who manifests himself where there is unity. This is what we see in the account of Pentecost in Acts 2. The disciples were together, in unity, and the Holy Spirit descended on all, and the crowd ran, attracted by this supernatural manifestation.

The dew of Hermon symbolizes the beneficial freshness that quenches the thirst of the earth, which will then be able to produce good fruits. Unity is a source of spiritual refreshment, and promotes the development of the fruit of the Spirit.

Whether for the holy oil or for the dew, in both cases, the verb form is used: “descends”. The blessing always comes from above.

In the passage from the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul specifies that the unity of the Spirit we must strive to preserve it through the bond of peace. The Holy Spirit descends where peace reigns, where the bond of peace is cultivated.

Before mentioning the unity of the Spirit, Paul reminds us that it flows from our way of walking worthily, humbly, patiently, mercifully in love.

“Lord, we pray that each Church may live the unity of the Spirit. For this we ask you that forgiveness takes precedence over resentment. May humility give us the honesty to recognize our own faults! May the Holy Spirit bring us closer together in common prayer! May he pour out upon us the desire to live fraternal communion in all simplicity! May he enable us to manifest our love through concrete actions! In the name of Jesus! Amen!”

The Fruit of the Spirit- Part 8

Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is… self-control.

Some translations say “temperance” instead of “self-control.” This word means “self-control.” Temperance is the ability to control our fleshly desires, to submit them to what is noble and inspired by the Spirit.

For many people, temperance is only linked to alcohol. The temperate is the one who drinks alcoholic beverages only very moderately, or even not at all.

In the Bible, this word means self-control, whether in the physical, psychic, or spiritual domain.

Being “moderate in all things” is one of the characteristics of a balanced Christian life, developing on the foundation of grace.

It is essential to remember that this self-control goes beyond this capacity that some may have to achieve it through personal discipline. This is about the supernatural fruit that the Holy Spirit provides.

This fruit is for weak temperaments as well as for those who are naturally strong and willful. Those who have a lively temperament need it no less than the nonchalant!

This self-control is essential for high-level athletes. Some, by losing this self-control, end up going beyond the rules that govern their sport. We know that some athletes who want to obtain good results train relentlessly. They abstain from to***co, alcohol, drugs, sleepless evenings… They continue their effort regardless of the weather, whether it rains or winds.

Having bought a dog, one of my friends had to teach him to stay by his side during walks. At first, he used a leash to calm the fiery animal. After a while, he gave up the leash, the dog stayed close to him, managing to control his fiery spirit, happy to walk with his master.

Self-control can seem restrictive if we live it as a law (the leash that constrains us), but it becomes a source of joy when we live it in grace (the happiness of following Christ).

God wants to make us accomplished disciples, mature and balanced men and women, that is why he gives us the grace to grant us self-control by his Spirit.

“Lord, may the Holy Spirit give us this self-control, so that it is not our fleshly desires that control our lives, but your divine desires. In the name of Jesus! Amen!”